All in Your Head
by Winekita
Summary: Post BoO. On his way back to Camp Half-Blood, Leo gets taken by the police and sent to a mental hospital, where he is severely medicated. Calypso arrives at camp and pleads for someone to help. Jason and Piper gladly go, but when they get to the hospital, will Leo even recognize them, and will they even recognize him? T for reasons. Image not mine. COMPLETE!
1. Prologue

_**Gee, another story to keep up with? I've got a death wish, don't I? Blame the plot bunnies and muses that kick me in the face!**_

 _ **I own nothing you recognize as canon.**_

* * *

 **Prologue**

Piper McLean honestly wasn't expecting her day to be this stressful. It had started out so peacefully, and then BAM! Festus had to go and crash into the weapons shed.

It was two months after the war. The camps were at peace, trying to rebuild, mourning the dead, attempting to move on. Jason was getting ready to travel back to New Rome to help them with more shrines, as both camps had now given Kym hers (and more) and were ready for the next few gods/goddesses. Percy and Annabeth were currently at high school, attempting to have a normal life for a little while before heading to New Rome for college next year. Nico was actually participating in camp activities as a year-round camper, and (for reasons that were unknown to anyone but Jason, Piper and the Aphrodite Cabin) stayed near Will Solace for most of them.

The one thing that made life bad was the Hephaestus Cabin acting like they were cursed again. Twice, now, their head counselors had died in explosions. Twice, now, they had lost a dear brother and amazing smith. Jake Mason was back to being the head counselor, but he didn't enjoy it. He often muttered that Leo deserved to have the position more than him.

Piper missed Leo so much. She missed his corny jokes, his impish smile, his cocky attitude…she even missed his grease/tabasco sauce smell that never seemed to go away no matter how many times he took a bath. It was like a dark cloud was hanging over her head. Time was not making his death any less painful for her.

Jason found her sitting on the Cabin Ten steps, moping. Sometimes she had those mornings that just needed to be filled with a mope or two. By lunch she'd feel better and move on.

Jason sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Bad hair day, Drew being annoying, or rough night?"

Piper cracked a smile. Jason knew _why_ she was mopey—he was just trying to lighten the mood. "Thanks."

"Anytime." Jason gave her a squeeze. "Just don't get too depressed about it—about Leo—when I'm at Camp Jupiter, okay?"

"I'm better this time, I promise."

"Good." He fixed his glasses and sighed. "I _do_ wish he was here, though."

"I can imagine he'd be sleeping this early in the morning."

"It's 8:50."

"And when has Leo _ever_ gotten up before noon?" Piper laughed. "Even when he was working on the _Argo II_ he hammered away until four in the morning and didn't wake up 'til noon at least!"

Jason laughed with her. "I guess you're right."

Suddenly, a bronze dot sparkled in the sky. Piper stood up quickly.

"What is that?" she asked.

Jason squinted and adjusted his glasses a bit. "It kinda looks like…" His eyes widened. "It's Festus!"

Piper's heart skipped a beat. "Festus? Are you sure?"

"Well, it's a little hard to tell since he's got a hole the size of Florida where his stomach should be…but I think—no, I'm _positive_ that's Festus!"

Piper grinned from ear to ear. If that was Festus, then surely his master, Leo Valdez, would be riding in the saddle, ready to come home. She whooped and cheered, running out to meet Festus the dragon as he got closer and closer.

And closer.

At a very high speed.

"Why isn't he slowing down?" Piper questioned.

Faster than she could register, Jason tackled her to the ground and pinned her down. Festus zoomed over their heads and crashed into the weapons shed with a very loud _BOOM_! A small mushroom cloud appeared over the scene and scattered weapons rained down.

Piper gasped. "Leo! Hold on!" She ran for the wreckage as campers rushed to the scene.

Festus creaked and groaned, twitching in some places. He was on his back, so Piper could see the wiring and gears and mini-engines running in his opened stomach. In his claws was a person, held very delicately.

Piper rushed forward and pried the claws open a little more. The person—a girl around Piper's age with cinnamon-colored hair wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans—groaned and slid out of Festus's grasp. Around her waist was a worn yellow tool-belt.

Jason flew up and helped them get out of the wreckage. Nico di Angelo sifted through Festus's scattered parts and Jake Mason carefully picked around the rest, trying to keep the poor automaton running.

Jason set the girl on the ground and Will ran up. He began to examine her.

"Who is she?" Jason asked.

Piper looked a little closer and realized she'd seen this girl's face before. Specifically in a drawing—in Leo's room on the _Argo II_!

"It's Calypso," she realized. "This is the Calypso Leo fell in love with. But…" She looked back at Festus. "Where's Leo?"

Jason glanced over at the crash scene with knit eyebrows. Jake and the others had similar expressions, coming to the same realization as Piper.

Festus had just crashed into camp with the Titaness Calypso, unconscious and wearing the magical tool belt, in his claws…

…but where was his master?

* * *

Doctor Gerald looked at the file in front of him and shook his head. "It's so sad to see youth waste their potential like this."

A social worker, a lady by the name of Rebecca Winston, nodded. "I can't believe how far he ran. Last he was seen was almost a year ago at the Grand Canyon. He's always been crafty and difficult to handle."

"Judging from his file, it's not too hard to imagine that to be the truth."

"Seven counts of arson, not including this new one," Mrs. Winston said in disappointment. "Suspected murder at a young age. And that was just the big stuff. When he ran this time, the court had ordered his next arson offense would land him in the nearest institution."

"This isn't a replacement for juvenile detention," Gerald reminded her.

"Of course. But your hospital is widely known for successful reformation of… _troubled_ youth. We're hoping your treatments will flush his pyro-like tendencies out of him by the time he is legally an adult and no longer under our jurisdiction."

"So, you want us to start treatment as soon as the sedatives wear off?"

"Yes. You'll be paid to keep it up until his eighteenth birthday, or until you deem him publicly safe again—whichever comes first." She pointed to one of the papers on his desk, which held contact information. "Please keep us updated on his condition every once in a while."

"Will do." They both stood up and shook hands. "Thank you for this, Mrs. Winston. I'll make sure he gets better."

She smiled. "Have a good day. And…good luck with him. He can be creative with his escapes."

"Medication usually helps them submit," Gerald said with a smile. "Give them enough during the first few months and eventually they settle down naturally. And our meds are usually easy to de-tox from, considering the side effects of long-term use last for decades. You'll have a functioning member of society soon enough."

"Side effects? You never mentioned side effects."

He waved off the question. "As in, the effect the medication will have on his attitude. If taken continuously, the medication's subduing effect lingers decades after stopping the treatment. We have the stats and experiment logs, if you think this is questionable."

"No, no. As long as he is not in any danger of freaking out once he's off, we couldn't care less."

"He'll be off when he submits, which, I assure you, will not take long. The rest of the time will allow him to get used to his new lifestyle."

She nodded and left.

Dr. Gerald sighed and took the file with him as he left the room to go check up on his new patient. He headed to the isolation hall, where new patients and dangerous cases went. In this young man's case, he was both.

The doctor pressed a few keys and dropped off loose items into a basket nearby. The door buzzed and he let himself into a small padded room. There was no furniture. No windows. Only one light high above, far away from any prying hands.

A Latino teenager was propped up against the wall in a straightjacket, fast asleep. His curly black hair was untamed and his impish features were peaceful. The boy wouldn't be waking up until the morning, as the sedatives the police gave him were very powerful. Tomorrow he would be sanitized, which meant he would lose the straightjacket after his first medication dose, his outside clothes would be removed and burned, he would be thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned, and he would be given the hospital patient scrubs.

Dr. Gerald sighed. "Such a shame. You kids have such potential and you waste it on petty crimes and terrible acts." He glanced at the file one more time. "Don't worry, Mr. Valdez. We'll take good care of you."

Leo Valdez slept on, completely unaware of his current situation.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Oh no! What's gonna happen to our Leo-boo?_**

 ** _Tune in to find out! :D_**


	2. The Quest

_**I do want to say I chose this cover for its trippy colors and unique Leo style. The artist's style is very different from the usual take of the characters we see in Viria or Burge. I guess the cover is a sort of symbolism for how these hospital people are trying to convince Leo of what they think he is instead of who he really is.**_ _ **If you don't like the art of it, please don't comment on it, as the review box is for my story NOT the cover artist's artwork.**_

 _ **The image is actually a part of a larger picture of TLH trio. The artist posted it to DA. Their name is GeckoSpine, in case you'd like to see her take on the other characters. Once again, my review box is for constructive criticisms and praise on MY STORY. Bad talk against the art (which I think is awesome) does not belong here, as it is NOT MY IMAGE.**_

 _ **I own nothing you recognize as canon.**_

* * *

 **Chapter One: The Quest**

Jason Grace was at a loss. He was currently in the camp infirmary, watching over an unconscious immortal girl while Piper discussed the arrangements for her with Chiron. Will had gone to get some self-filling bowls from the kitchens for when the girl woke up.

Calypso's wounds had healed already—they'd been healed since before she arrived in the infirmary. Will said it was probably because she was an immortal and was able to heal faster, but he had no idea why Calypso was unconscious.

Looking at her in person, Jason could see a reason why Leo had fallen for her: she was drop-dead beautiful. Even asleep, her whole form radiated beauty. If Jason's heart didn't belong to Piper, he didn't know what kind of dangerous thoughts would arise.

That routed his thoughts back to Leo again. Where was he? Obviously he had rescued Calypso from Ogygia, if she had his tool belt and dragon. He had to be alive…right? Why wasn't he here with his girlfriend? Why hadn't he been driving Festus? Why—

Calypso groaned and clutched her head. Jason blinked and turned back to her.

She opened her eyes—her almond-shaped and colored eyes, Jason noticed—and moaned, "Where am I?"

"You're in Camp Half-Blood," Jason answered. "You crashed here yesterday on Festus the bronze dragon."

Calypso's eyes widened as she patted her waist. "Where's the tool belt?"

Jason pointed to the chair next to her bedside table, where said belt was residing. Calypso relaxed and sank into her pillow. Jason scooted a little closer and handed her a glass of water. She sipped it and thanked him.

"I'm Jason Grace, by the way," he said. "Son of Jupiter—ah, Zeus."

"Calypso, daughter of Atlas," she returned. "Leo told me about you, Jason. You're his best friend."

Jason blushed. "He only told us a little about you. He kept mentioning how beautiful you were."

"Is that all?"

"In his defense, we _were_ kinda busy fighting monsters and saving the world, so there wasn't much time for him to give us every detail of why he loved you."

They both chuckled.

"So," Jason tried, "where _is_ Leo? He's not here with you."

Calypso's eyes filled with tears. "We…"

Piper walked into the room at that moment, followed by Will Solace and Chiron in his wheelchair. She gasped when she saw Calypso. "You're awake!"

Calypso nodded. "Judging by your beauty, I'd say you must be Piper McLean, Leo's 'sister-but-not-really'."

Piper giggled. "That's me, his overprotective big sister that isn't related by blood."

Calypso nodded towards Chiron. "It's been a while."

"It certainly has," the centaur said. "I'm happy to see you free at last."

Calypso grinned. "If someone told you that three thousand years ago, I bet you wouldn't have been glad."

"You've got me there."

Will handed her a bowl. "It's self-filling. Go for some soup."

Calypso smiled at him. "Even Apollo's sons are bossy doctors," she noted.

Jason chuckled at that.

Will rolled his eyes. "You haven't even _seen_ my bossy side. That was reserved for Nico."

"The son of Hades, if I'm not mistaken?"

"Wow," Piper said, astonished. "Leo told you about everybody."

"When one is stranded on an island with no escape, you tend to either talk to yourself or your companion." Calypso's eyes shined. "He told me many things about you. All good. He praised you like the heroes I'm sure you are, though he was too eager to demean himself."

Piper leaned over and whispered, "He's got an inferiority complex. We all know about it, though he doesn't understand, so we try to encourage everything but his corny jokes."

"They do get rather annoying, don't they?"

Chiron wheeled forward. "Calypso," he began, "You appeared with Festus wearing Leo Valdez's tool belt. Where is _Leo_?"

Calypso's eyes darkened. She sighed. "I guess I should start with when he rescued me. Festus was already broken when he landed on my island the second time. We took off from Ogygia as quickly as possible. The next place we landed was some place called Maine. Leo said camp was still a long ways off, so we went to a motel and bought a room for the night, intending to fix Festus in the morning and arrive at camp later."

She sniffled. "But…that night, I woke up to Leo screaming in agony. He set himself on fire in his sleep. From what he told me about dying recently, I assume he must have either had a nightmare about dying again, a panic attack, or possibly a combination of the two.

"I grabbed our things and evacuated the room before I got burned. His flames soon consumed the whole room and was about to set fire to the rest of the motel. The authorities came before I could put him—and our room—out. They handcuffed him and took him away in a horseless carriage with flashing lights. Before they put him in the carriage, Leo shouted for Festus to bring me to camp to ask for help. Festus took me before I could argue.

"I had no idea how to steer him, in all honesty. Near the end, Festus started breaking down. I remember streaking towards the ground, but the contact must have hurt too much…"

She took another sip of water. "I apologize for the damage."

Chiron waved his hand. "Our camp was rebuilding anyway. You only hit the tool shed; it would've been a problem if you were aiming for the Big House or one of the cabins."

They all chuckled. Then, Calypso's eyes filled with tears again. "Please," she whimpered. "I know it is far, but…we need to go rescue Leo. I don't want to leave him alone with those people! He might be in trouble!"

"Quite right," Chiron agreed. "You are still immortal, Calypso?"

"Yes, though I believe my immortality is fading. I think I'm slowly turning mortal, though I have no problem with it as long as…"

Jason didn't need to hear her finish the sentence. _As long as I'm with Leo._

"Then it appears an immortal has issued a quest," the centaur said. "The quest to go to Maine and rescue Leo Valdez—hopefully in a not-so-violent manner. Who will lead?"

"I will," Jason said. "I'll call Reyna and tell her why I'll be late to Camp Jupiter. She'll understand."

"I'll go, too," Piper announced. "Maybe my charmspeak can help get Leo out of juvie, if that's where he ended up."

"And the third?"

"Me."

Everyone looked at Calypso with wide eyes. "What?" she demanded. "I may not be a demigod, but Leo broke my curse and rescued me from my island! I should be able to save _him_ from whatever prison they've placed him in."

She sat up and got out of bed, as if to prove she was going. Piper stood next to her and held her hand.

"Calypso's going," Piper said, her voice firm.

Chiron sighed. "Very well. I suppose all that's left would be to ask Rachel for a prophecy, but seeing as how the gift of prophecy is a little…absent, at the moment…"

Will visibly flinched and looked to the sky, as if thinking, _Please let my dad be okay. Don't punish Apollo too badly, Zeus._

Jason nodded. "We'll leave immediately. Since Festus is, ah, _out of commission_ , maybe we should get a couple pegasi?"

* * *

 ** _A/N: Next chapter we'll see a bit of what Leo's doing!_**


	3. First Day

_**Thanks for all the support, guys! Here's a new chapter for you.**_

 _ **Don't get used to this consistent speed of updates every two days. This story just happens to be smacking me with inspiration at the moment, same as Calypso in Wonderland (which should be coming along shortly).**_

 _ **I own nothing you recognize as canon.**_

* * *

 **Chapter Two: First Day**

Doctor Gerald laced his fingers together as an assistant led the new patient into his office.

Leo Valdez shuffled sleepily inside, looking tired and confused. He was no longer dressed in the dirty outside clothes, but now wore the grey patient scrubs and white slippers. A smiley face bandage adorned his neck, marking the spot where he had gotten injected earlier that morning.

"Good morning, Mr. Valdez," Dr. Gerald greeted. "Please, take a seat."

Leo shuffled forward and sat down, sinking into the seat. The assistant grabbed his shoulders and gently pulled him into a more suitable position. Leo grumbled and shook him off.

"Nice to see you out and about, Mr. Valdez."

"I prefer Leo," he growled.

"Let me be frank, Leo," Dr. Gerald said, leaning forward. "You are here because you like to play with fire."

"I don't play with fire."

"You have a fascination with fire, then."

"I'm not a pyro."

"And yet you are charged with seven accounts of arson—not including the one from two nights ago. Not to mention your file actually states your various psychiatrists labeled you as a legal pyromaniac."

"They're all a bunch of lying losers."

"We're getting off the subject." Dr. Gerald cleaned his glasses. "Social Services were contacted by the court system the last time you ran, Leo. Your next arson offense, whether in a home or not, would land you in one of two places—here or juvenile detention. Social Services agreed this had a much better outcome for everyone."

"I'd rather go to juvie," Leo said. "I hear they'll have free wi-fi on Saturdays soon. They have great dentists there, too."

"This is serious, Leo. We all want what's best for you."

"Then let me out. I know this great camp for bad boys down in New York."

"This isn't negotiable. You're here now, and will be until you turn eighteen. We're going to help you get better."

"Because I'm crazy?"

"No one here is crazy, Leo." The doctor sighed. "Every patient here is just like you. They're all troubled youth with unfortunate pasts weighing them down. We're here to help you get past all the terrible influences in your past. By the time you leave here, you'll be an outstanding member of society."

Leo gave him the stink-eye. "All my old psychiatrists said things along those lines. The only thing they discovered was that I was worse than they could handle. What makes you so different from them?"

"My regimen and treatment schedule. My treatment comes in stages. Stage one is what you're in right now. Denial, resistance, aggression. Natural feelings that I'm sure you have at the moment. We'll give you all the right medications for your condition and then some. You'll also be in solitary until you submit to the regimen. Stage two is when you accept who you used to be. We'll help you through the process of becoming a new person."

"Let me guess—shock therapy?"

"Everything you experience is physically pain-free, I assure you. You'll also still be on regular medicine, as well as some relaxants, and you'll move to a room with your very own roommate. Stage three is when we slowly take you off the medicine, though you honestly won't be able to tell that much of a difference. You'll be a fine, upstanding young adult by the time you hit phase three."

"I won't take your meds."

The doctor shook his head. "That's why we use injections. They work faster and have a longer effect. Feeling tired, Mr. Valdez? That would be a side effect of the 'meds' you took this morning. The starting dosage is three times a day; once in the morning, once before lunch, and once before dinner. That amount can change at any time, I assure you."

Leo shifted in his chair, looking uncomfortable. "I don't belong here."

"Oh, you do, Leo. You certainly do. Jacob, please give Leo a tour around the premises. Leo, after lunch we'll give you a small truth serum and ask you a few questions about your life. That'll determine what level of medicines you need. Have a good day, and I'll see you after lunch!"

Leo was slowly led out of the room, weakly protesting.

* * *

Leo was now strapped to a cushy chair in a small white room. He sank so low in it, it could have been a beanbag chair in a previous life.

Leo couldn't think straight. His whole body felt tingly, like his limbs got when they fell asleep. Speaking of sleep, he felt like he needed to do just that. Sleep felt inviting. Safe. He could pretend he wasn't here right now.

A needle dug its way into Leo's bare arm. The liquid was thick and painful. Leo groaned.

Doctor Gerald sat across from Leo, in an equally cushy chair, though his lacked the restraints. He held out a clipboard and a pen. "The truth serum takes effect immediately. Fun fact: the government uses this same serum secretly on spies. It's not available to the general public."

He adjusted his glasses. "Let's start with the basic questions, just to get you started on the right track. What is your name?"

"You already know it," Leo growled.

"No need to be snippy. Seems as though your medication is wearing off. Don't worry, we'll let you have it after this session. Now, tell me your name."

Leo wanted to lie and say his name was Edward Teach or Po the Panda. He opened his mouth to say just that, but when his voice came up, his brain switched to automatic. "Leo Valdez."

"Very good. How old are you?"

Again, Leo wanted to not say the truth. Instead of 200 years, he replied truthfully: "I just turned 16."

"What was your mother's name?"

"Esperanza Valdez."

"And your father?"

 _Uh-oh_. If this had been before the Grand Canyon, Leo could truthfully say _I don't know_. But now…

"Hephaestus, god of blacksmiths."

The assistant in the room snorted. Doctor Gerald raised an eyebrow and jotted down a note. "And you are quite positive this is the truth, Leo?"

Leo shifted, trying to lie his way out of this. Every time he tried to say his father was someone else— _anyone_ else—his brain imploded on itself and he was forced to blurt out the god's name.

While jotting down more notes, Leo heard the doctor mumble, "Belief in fictitious deities. Believes one such deity to be his father. Unfortunate."

He looked at Leo. "Leo, why do you believe that Hephaestus is your father?"

"Because he is. I've met him, actually." _No, no, no! Don't say this! Mortals wouldn't understand!_

But it was too late. Leo revealed everything there was to know on his life, with particular detail on Camp Half-Blood, the quests he'd been on, his friends and their powers, and his girlfriend's origins.

Then it came.

"You say your friends have powers," Doctor Gerald remarked. "Do you?"

 _Don't say it._ "I can talk with machines and pretty much build anything." _Good. Don't say anything more than that._

"Anything else?"

 _NO!_ Leo grimaced. He held his head back and screamed. _Say no! Say no! Please say no!_ He didn't want to say it, but it happened anyway: "I'M A FIRE USER!"

"And what is a fire user?"

Leo panted. He wanted to cry. "A fire user is…a son of Hephaestus who can produce and control flames…and is fireproof…"

Doctor Gerald spent several minutes writing notes and flipping pages. Leo sat on in silence, watching the doctor's face intently. The old man betrayed nothing but disappointment in his face.

"My, my, Leo," he finally said. "If you didn't have the serum in you, I'd say this was an elaborate lie. However…" he fixed his glasses again. "I find it extremely sad that you've made this _false reality_ up for yourself."

"It's not false!"

"Leo, many people do things like this because they want to justify the wrongs they've done or the bad times they've encountered. Yours is a very severe case—so much so that you cannot tell what should be real anymore."

Leo sobbed. "Stop it!"

"Mr. Valdez, creating a fantasy that you are a 'fire user' just to justify what happened to your mother—that's not healthy. I'm sad to say you are going to be receiving the VIP treatment. Solitary for Stages One and Two. Constant medication with the highest possible dosage. We _will_ have to get the shock therapy started up if you cannot accept this reality, Leo. I hate to do it, but we've done it only twice before—with patients that could not see the real from the fiction, just like you."

"I know what's real," Leo protested. He was still very weak and tired, otherwise he might have shown this guy his flames. "You just don't understand!"

The doctor rose. "Jacob, please retrieve Leo's proper medication and send him to his room. We'll begin his therapy tomorrow, after he's had time to adjust to his solitary room. I'm sure he has a lot to think about."

Leo was put into a straightjacket again. He was dragged out of the white room and gently pushed into his padded room. Jacob took off Leo's bandage, injected him again, and replaced the bandage. A bright neon orange ankle band was attached to his left leg, woven so tightly around his ankle, it would be impossible to remove without a straight edge. It read: **_SEVERE. HEAVY DOSAGE REQUIRED._**

When the door closed, Leo leaped to his feet and charged around the room. Anger bubbled inside of him. His fire wasn't working. The jacket constricted his upper body movements. The stupid ankle thing itched.

Leo banged his head against the padded walls and kicked blindly at the door. He screamed and yelled, hoping someone would rescue him. He knew the gods couldn't interfere directly, but maybe for _once_ they could make an exception?

The heavy dosage of medicine coursed through his veins quickly. He slid down a wall and cried himself to sleep, hoping that when he woke up, he wouldn't be forced to forget his friends and girlfriend.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Hoo-boy, is it getting intense already? Sorry, but not sorry for those feels. But what did you expect in a story like this? Sunshine and rainbows? :3_**


	4. Out of Luck

_**Sorry for the wait.**_

 _ **It's gonna go a little fast, here, and it turns really dark at the end, but it needs to be. This story isn't quite the sunshine and rainbows kind of story that I usually write, so it takes a bit of time for me to be satisfied with the dramatic parts.**_

 _ **Also, fair warning: There will be a racist term in this chapter and I really hope none of you get offended by it. It is not my personal opinion, I am just trying to make a bit of background character depth.**_

 _ **I own nothing you recognize as canon.**_

* * *

 **Chapter Three: Out of Luck**

"How can these _cars_ run on their own? Are they a species of animal?" Calypso inquired as they flew past the border into Maine. The trio had been flying all night on two Pegasi—Blackjack and a Palomino named Speckles—and Piper and Jason had gladly answered any and all questions Calypso had about the modern world.

Jason scratched his chin. "Um…no, they aren't alive."

"Think of Festus with wheels and no personality," Piper suggested. "That's a car."

Calypso nodded, feeling a little bit better at knowing something. "How much further?"

Jason held up a map. "Looks like we're over this highway." He managed to point to a spot without the paper flying away. "Which means we're probably about an hour away from the hotel you stayed at."

"Why are we going there and not to the station you said he might be in?"

"That's the problem," Piper said. "We have no idea where he went. We have to figure out which police station he was taken to. That means we have to ask one of the hotel managers where he went."

"Okay."

They landed an hour later, carefully descending into the trees silently and telling the Pegasi to stay close in case they need a quick escape. Calypso smiled and stroked Speckles' snout. "Thank you for the ride, great beauty."

Speckles enjoyed Calypso's stroking and nickered happily. Blackjack snorted, clearly jealous.

Calypso giggled and complimented Blackjack, too, while giving him a sugar cube.

"Where did you get the sugar cube?" Piper asked.

Calypso smiled. "You said we would take Pegasi. I merely came prepared. I always have sugar cubes handy when I know I'll be around them."

Piper and Jason followed Calypso to the hotel. Police tape was still strung up around what had once been Calypso and Leo's room. The ground and surrounding walls were black and charred. The parking lot had skid lines from where the fire truck and police vehicles had slid on the pavement in their hurry.

Calypso could still imagine the flashing lights. She could hear Leo's panicked screams and Festus's roar as she was taken by the dragon into the night.

Piper put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "He's fine," she promised. "Leo's a tough kid. It takes more than a few police to stop him."

"I know," Calypso said, sniffling. "But he's not emotionally stable right now. If we had made it to camp before he broke down with nightmares, I might have been able to find an herbal remedy to help with his state."

"You'll help him when we get him home," Jason said. "All we need to do is find the station he's in. Or, possibly a foster home, since he'd probably be put back in the system by now."

"Is this foster system really that terrible?"

Piper shook her head. "To some kids, it's not. But to kids like Leo, and others who never get adopted, the system is terribly flawed and overcrowded. Lots of foster homes get more kids just for the money, and they won't take good care of the kids."

Calypso shuddered. "Why is this system like that?"

"Too many kids," Jason said. "And not enough people who want to adopt or take them in. It's how America is…it's a terrible tragedy, but it's the truth that everyone accepts sooner or later."

They walked into the front room where a small man on a high chair sat. He chewed his gum and kept his eyes glued to the _Avengers_ comic in his hands.

"Excuse me," Calypso said quietly. This was the same man that had helped her and Leo the other day, and he hadn't been particularly kind to Leo. Calypso felt nervous around him. "Pardon."

The little man looked up and sighed. He put down his comic and said, "Can I help you?"

"Yes. I was here with my friend the other night."

The guy frowned. "Oh yeah. You're the girlfriend of that Beaner. The one that set the damn hotel on fire." He glared at Piper. "Great, you brought Pocahontas, too." He leaned back and started reading his comic again. "Get out. We don't help your kind here."

Piper was flabbergasted. Jason held her back in case she decided to go berserk. Calypso sighed. "I'm sorry to impose, but I'm looking for some information. Do you know which station my friend was taken to?"

"The police station three miles from here, prob'ly. Wouldn't bother goin' there, though. They prob'ly shipped that dirty Mexican's ass right across the border. Serves 'im right."

"Thank you for the…information," Calypso grumbled. She led her two friends out of the office. Piper instantly blew up once they were in the trees.

"That jerk!" she shouted. "How _dare_ he call Leo a _Beaner_!? I can handle the Pocahontas thing, I've been called worse, but…calling Leo a Beaner was downright _rude_ and _wrong_! That ignorant _racist_!"

Jason and Calypso let her vent for a few more minutes. Calypso heard various languages being used as the daughter of Aphrodite began to curse out the hotel guy.

At around minute five, Piper panted and settled down. "I'm good. Just don't let me see that man again or I'll rip his tongue out.

Calypso decided she liked Piper. She was comforting and caring towards her friends, but if someone threatened them or was rude to one, gods help the person who becomes her target. Calypso could respect that. She had a feeling Piper would be a great friend to get to know in the future.

Jason walked up and wrapped his girlfriend in a hug. "Let's just get out of here and forget about that guy. At least he gave us an idea where to start."

* * *

"Valdez? Yeah, that's the kid that burnt down the hotel, right?"

Calypso pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation. "He didn't mean it."

The officer at the main counter of the police station shrugged. "Not my problem. Let's see…Valdez…Valdez…yup, that's the guy. He was taken here that night."

"Great," Piper said. "Can we, uh, see him?"

"No can do, missy."

Piper's eyes flashed. "Excuse me?"

"Why not?" Jason asked. "You guys got visiting rights, right?"

"We do, but you can't see him here." The officer began scribbling down something on a piece of paper.

"What do you mean?" Piper asked.

"The kid was a runaway, according to the report. Ran far, from what I can gather. Social services were contacted and he was taken elsewhere."

He handed Calypso the paper. She read it aloud: " _Lance Gerald's Hospital for Rehabilitation of the Juvenile Mentally Ill_. What does that mean?"

Piper gasped. "Are you serious? He was taken to a _mental hospital_?"

The officer shrugged. "Court's ruling, kid. After he ran from the Grand Canyon, the courts decided if he was caught with another arson charge, he'd be sent to a rehab center to get the bad habits flushed out of him."

Jason paled. "What? Why? He's not a bad kid!"

"Kid, Valdez has a record longer than my arm when it comes to arson, not to mention he was suspected of murder when he was eight. A rehab center might just be what this guy needs before it's too late."

It took all of Calypso's power not to slap this man. He didn't know Leo. He had no right to say these things about him! "Thank you for the help, officer."

They left without another word. When they reached the alley where they had parked their Pegasi, all three of them exploded. The winged horses looked on in terror as their riders yelled and screamed bloody murder towards the people who had done this to Leo.

* * *

The orange ankle band itched.

The scrubs were itchy.

The injection spot on his neck throbbed.

The smiley faces on his neck's Band-Aid was too _godsdammed happy_!

Leo shuffled around in a haze, somehow ending up on a beanbag chair in one of the lounges. Hospital staff stood about five feet away, eyeing him warily, expecting him to start yelling and attacking one of the other patients. He stayed in a solitary room, but Doctor Gerald had said Leo had an hour before lunch and dinner to try and socialize. If he played nice, he could have more time out of his room.

Leo couldn't be bothered to try and talk to someone. He saw that the other patients were in the same boat with him. They were drugged, depressed, brainwashed…mere shadows of who they used to be.

 _I'm going to end up like them…_ Leo sat up a little straighter, picking at the Band-Aid on his neck. The injection area hurt, but each time he was pricked it got better. At first it was like lava was going through his veins. Now it was numbing down. He was getting used to it—which wasn't good.

Leo held out his palm and tried to make his fire appear. If he could just make it come out, the staff and that stupid Doctor Gerald would see that he was telling the truth!

The more Leo tried to concentrate on waking the fire up, the more tired he felt. There were no waking-up prickles, like he had felt when he first arrive at camp. It made Leo start to question if that fire had been real.

 _No!_ Leo shook his head, trying to clear the fog of the meds. _It is real! These meds are messing with me, with my flames. They're subduing me and smothering my fire. I need to…to…_

"Your hand is very interesting, Leo," said one of the nurses. She put a remote in his outstretched hand. "But I think you'd enjoy a TV show better."

She turned on the TV for him. The screen popped up with the History channel. "There. _Ancient Aliens_. That's better than your hand, isn't it?"

Leo didn't want to watch TV, but his foggy mind couldn't think of anything else to do. His concentration had been shattered thanks to that nurse, so he couldn't remember what he'd been doing before she put the remote in his hand.

The nurse patted him on the head. "There's a good boy. And no picking at your Band-Aid."

Leo absently put his hand on his neck. The throb of his wound made his head clear a bit. A commercial on the channel showed an ancient blacksmith working with fire. Fire! He needed to show his flames! Leo held his hand out again.

"I know I can do it," he growled softly.

The nurse frowned. "Dear, what are you trying to do?"

Leo didn't answer. _Make fire! Wake up, flames! Wake up! Show them it's real…show me it's real._

The nurse sighed and pulled out a syringe. "Whatever you're doing, stop, Leo. Here…" She removed the Band-Aid, gave him a dose, and recovered his neck. "Now, isn't the TV more interesting than your silly hand, Leo?"

Leo's hand dropped to his side and he sank into the beanbag chair. The TV _did_ seem to be more interesting. The nurse had switched it to Animal Planet, and Leo watched as a lion attacked a zebra. The nurse was right: the program was way more interesting than whatever he had been doing with his hand.

The nurse nodded, satisfied, and left him alone.

Leo continued to watch Animal Planet, his mind uncharacteristically blank. More patients shuffled over and sat down in a circle around him, also interested in the lion show. All of them had the same blank, sleepy look on their faces—the same face Leo now wore.

* * *

 ** _A/N: To my younger readers: please DO NOT repeat the racial slurs said by the hotel man. I hated to write them, but felt it necessary for characterization. Not everyone is accepting of other races, especially in northern states (not pointing out any states, I'm just saying it can happen because I've seen it happen). I am not racist towards anyone, just so we're clear. If I was, I probably wouldn't like Leo or Frank or Hazel, or even get into the series. :( Just sayin'._**

 ** _And if I did offend, I apologize! *bows down* I was not trying to make it personal to anyone! Please believe me!_**

 ** _Anyway, sorry but not sorry for the darkness in the end. It's only going to get worse for our bae. :(_**


	5. Falsehood

**_Moar feels. Moar drama.  
_**

 ** _Shock therapy._**

 ** _This is gonna hurt. It hurt me while I wrote it, mostly because I was trying not to make it as graphic as the American Horror Story: Asylum version of shock therapy._**

 ** _I did a little research on that, by the way. I realize that nowadays doctors must have patient approval before doing this unless there is a court order, but for the sake of the story, let's pretend that's not the case. So, any medical terms or actions are completely at my own discretion._**

 _ **For those who don't wish to read Leo's pain, viewer discretion is advised.**_

 _ **I own nothing you recognize as canon.**_

* * *

 **Chapter Four: Falsehood**

"Come, now, Leo," Doctor Gerald said with a sigh. "This will be easier on you if you come to terms with the truth."

Leo felt tears run down his cheeks. "I'm telling the truth! Please believe me!"

The doctor shook his head. He turned to the nurse in the room. "Then we have no choice. Hook him up."

The nurse nodded and started to inject Leo with a few drugs. One of them had to be a muscle relaxer, because soon after, Leo felt his body relax. He was still shivering in fear, though. Electrodes were placed on either side of his head, and a bit was placed in his mouth. Leo wished he could move or catch fire, but his injections wouldn't allow him to produce flames, and the way he was strapped to the table made it impossible to move. Even his head was strapped down.

"Patient is prepped, sir," the nurse said.

Leo whined through his bit.

The doctor nodded. "I apologize, Leo. This is definitely going to hurt." He flipped a switch.

Leo's body convulsed in severe pain. He screamed through the bit. Getting accidentally shocked by Jason was _nothing_ compared to this.

Mere seconds later, the electricity was shut off. Leo was still convulsing, and he whimpered in pain. He found himself wishing he'd just stayed dead and not taken the physician's cure.

"Leo," he heard the doctor say. "Please work with us. We're trying to help you."

Leo howled as another wave of pain shook him to the bones.

When he stopped convulsing, the doctor said, "You're sick, Leo. And the first step to helping you is making you understand your sickness."

Leo cried out in panic. His muscles wouldn't stop shaking, and his head felt fuzzier than before. He was finding it extremely hard to concentrate on certain things.

The bit was taken out of his mouth. The nurse smiled as she took away the electrodes and injected him with the truth serum.

"Please, Leo," came the doctor's voice. "Why don't you tell me about your mother?"

"She…she…" Leo's voice shook harder than his body. "She was awesome and c-c-cool."

"Simple. That's fine. How about her death?"

"F-f-fire…Sh-she died in a fire…"

"Mm-hmm. And what was the cause of the fire?"

Leo blinked. He knew what had happened. Why did he need to repeat it!? "I…I caused it!"

"Humor me: how did you cause it?"

"I…I…"

 _What?_

Leo tried to concentrate. He'd caused it, that he knew. But…how did that happen, again? "There was a…a…lady in black," he sputtered out. "She threatened my mother and I…I tried to protect her."

"By locking your mother in the shop and setting fire to it?"

Leo knew that wasn't a fair statement. He hadn't locked the shop. But…why did he set fire to it? Something about that lady. And dirt. _Wait…dirt lady? GAEA!_

"I accidentally…lost control of my powers!"

Doctor Gerald shook his head. "No, Leo. Those 'powers' of yours, they aren't real."

"Yes they are!"

"Nurse, please hook him up again. One more treatment today should get him settled until the next session."

The room echoed with Leo's screams for ten more minutes. The lies slowly became truths in his head, and exhaustion forced him to accept them quicker than he would ever like.

* * *

Doctor Gerald nodded as he examined the file on his desk. He'd made the nurse take Leo back to his room (without a straightjacket) after the successful session. The doctor had developed a good system with shock treatments, only using it as a tool to teach right from wrong—much like a dog's electric collar. He'd continue this way for two weeks and see how Leo did afterwards without the treatment. Then, the boy would finally be Phase Two, and would have plenty of time to adjust back into normalcy.

He took out a list from Leo's file.

 _Belief in self-obtained fire powers: check._

Next on the list would be the belief that his father was the god Hephaestus. There was nothing wrong with believing the myths of gods and nature spirits and such, but it was not healthy to think one was the child of such a god.

 _Slowly but surely, Mr. Valdez,_ he thought. _You'll be a better person._

Elsewhere, in his padded room, Leo whimpered in pain. He clutched his head in agony, shivering in the cold cell.

"I'm not sick," he repeated over and over. "I'm not sick. I'm not sick. I'm not sick. I'm not sick."

 _But you are sick, Leo,_ came the voice of Doctor Gerald. _You're very sick. We're only helping you get better._

"I don't need help," Leo answered. "I'm not sick. I don't need help. I'm not sick! I don't need help!"

 _Would a healthy person be talking to the voice in his head?_

Leo crawled over to a corner and cried, rocking back and forth in a crouched position, mumbling to himself. He wasn't sick. He knew he wasn't.

But he knew he was beginning to go insane. And it scared him.

* * *

"This is the place," Piper said as they got off of the Pegasi. They'd landed inside the grounds of the mental hospital, just inside a line of trees and bushes. It was close to sundown as they peered through the foliage at the large, mansion-like place.

Jason whistled. "Why is it all the mental institutes get the fancy places? That looks like the Xavier Institute, for cryin' out loud!"

Calypso gave him a weird look. "Is that another mental hospital in your world?"

Piper rolled her eyes and kicked Jason. "It's a comic book school for mutants."

"Mutant?"

"An enhanced human. In that universe, Jason and I would be considered mutants. They're people with powers and sometimes physical attributes like tails or wings."

"Anyway," Jason said. "How are we going to do this? Look at how many patients there are."

Piper did see quite a few wandering the grounds. They didn't look too disheveled. Some were playing croquet—seriously, why did old and crazy people have to play that?—some lounged around on lawn chairs, others were even playing basketball.

"Leo's probably inside," Piper assessed. "A big place like this with only around twenty patients running around outside? They have to have more people."

Calypso gestured to the adults surrounding the perimeters. "What about them?"

"They must be the nurses and faculty guards. They're there to make sure the patients behave and don't hurt one another."

Calypso grimaced. "Are they prisoners or patients?"

"Both," Jason growled. "Mental patients are known to react violently to their surroundings when they initially get admitted. They use meds to sedate them, make them calm and loopier than before."

Calypso's face twisted in anger. "How dare they do that?"

Piper placed a hand on the Titaness's shoulder. "I know it's hard to accept. Some patients actually do well under these treatments. Others are certifiably insane and actually belong here."

"But Leo doesn't!"

"And that's why we're busting him out," Jason said softly.

Piper glanced at the nurse-guards. "If we can get into the laundry room, we could probably sneak someone in as a patient or a nurse to get Leo out."

"That would require getting in there, though," Calypso said. "Why not wait for Leo to come out?"

"He might not be able to," Piper said. "He's new, so he might not have the privilege to come outside yet."

Jason looked at the roof. "Okay. I think I got something. I'll fly to the roof and find an entrance up there. I'll be as sneaky as possible and get a patient's uniform, then find Leo and fly him out through the roof."

"Why you?" Piper asked.

Jason held her hand. "Because if something happens and I don't come out by morning, or give you a sign for more time, then I trust you can use that charmspeak to get in and get us both out. If it was reversed, I know I wouldn't be able to convince people to let you and Leo out."

Piper blushed. "I'll admit, it's a great plan. But I'll still be worried."

Jason kissed her. "I know. But I feel it's safer this way."

Calypso sat back, not saying anything in favor of or against the plan.

Piper nodded. "Fine. You have until tomorrow morning. If I can see the sun past the trees and you haven't showed, Calypso and I have a turn at rescuing the damsels in distress."

She watched as Jason flew to the roof and disappeared after wandering around up there for a few minutes. None of the nurses or patients noticed the flying boy.

Calypso looked over at Piper with worry in her eyes. "Will they be okay?"

"Jason should be fine," Piper promised. _But Leo…who knows?_

* * *

 ** _A/N: So dramatic :( This is definitely not my forte, but I think I'm getting the hang of the drama.  
_**

 ** _How will this play out? Tune in next time!  
_**


	6. Insanity Farm

**_Oh, Jason fans...you aren't going to like this.  
_**

 ** _Leo fans, buckle up, too._**

 ** _The hidden villain behind this hell hole is revealed as well, so get ready for it!_**

 _ **I own nothing you recognize as canon.**_

* * *

 **Chapter Five: Insanity Farm  
**

Contrary to Leo's rumors, Jason was actually a good ninja. He could slink through the halls of the busy institute just as well as any spy. Though Leo was the most ninja-like of the Seven (with his years of running and parkour experience), Jason was a close second.

He also found the laundry room easily enough, slipping on a clean outfit—patient scrubs with a nametag reading _Jacob_. He snuck to a window, happy it was facing the backyard. He dropped the clothes out the window, hoping Piper and Calypso would see and try to get them.

Jason walked around like he had a purpose, shuffling when he neared the nurses. They paid him no mind as he swept by.

Soon, he found himself poking his head into various common rooms. They looked normal enough, with normal-looking teens walking around or watching television. None of them looked beaten or afraid, or even crazy. Except for the scrubs, they could have passed for normal teenagers.

 _This must be the patients about to be released_ , Jason thought. _There's no way a newly-inducted patient would look so good._

Jason found the stairwell and traveled down a few flights, coming to a stop at the first floor. If anything, he figured he'd find Leo here.

The son of Jupiter stuck his head out into a hallway. No one was around, so he quietly entered and shuffled away.

He wasn't so lucky on this floor with the nurses. One saw him and immediately said, "Oh, hon, what are you doing out here? You shouldn't wander…" She glanced at his chest. "Jacob."

It took a moment for Jason to remember that his shirt read _Jacob_. "Uh…"

She grabbed his arm and led him down the hall. "You must be a new patient—why else wouldn't you have an injection mark? Or a dosage band?"

Jason inwardly swore in Latin. He didn't know what those were, but they sounded like something a good disguise might require.

"Wait in here while I go get the doctor," the nurse said with a smile. She shoved him into a lounge not unlike the ones upstairs, shutting the door behind her and locking him in.

"Oh, that's not good," Jason mumbled. _I need to find Leo fast! Please be in here, Leo!_

There were a few nurses patrolling around the room, making sure no one acted up. Some patients were quietly conversing. Most were sitting as if in a vegetative state.

"There you go, Leo," Jason heard someone say. "Why don't you play a game with someone? You need to do something other than watch TV."

Jason whirled around. A nurse was holding a patient up, preventing him from collapsing in his chair. The patient's curly black hair was tangled, his brown eyes dull and sunken in. He was bony to the point of skeletal. It broke Jason's heart.

 _Leo…What have they done to you?_

Leo's face was blank, yet tired. He tried to lay his head down on the table, but the nurse wouldn't let him.

"Now, now, Leo," she cooed. "I know you've had a trying day, but you need some interaction." She snapped a finger in front of his face. He flinched a little, but otherwise didn't react. The nurse frowned. "Hm…might have overdosed you this last time. I'll write that in your injection schedule. Be right back, sweetie."

She left Leo and the lounge, locking the door behind her.

Jason shuffled convincingly to the seat opposite Leo and sat down. Sitting on the table between them was a game of checkers.

"Leo," Jason said softly. "Leo, can you hear me?"

Leo looked up.

"Do you remember who I am?"

Leo's gaze flickered to Jason's chest. "J-Jacob?"

"What?" Jason shook his head. "No, my name's not Jacob. It's Jason. Jason Grace, remember? The son of Jupiter."

Leo's head drooped a little. "Jason…sounds familiar…"

Jason started arranging the checkers pieces, to make it seem like he was actually playing with Leo. He moved a red piece first, not caring about any rules. Leo got the hint, reaching out with a bony hand to move a black piece.

Jason tried not to grimace at how malnourished Leo was. "Leo, you've got to remember. You're my best friend. We met at the Wilderness School." _Technically on the bus to the Grand Canyon, but I don't want to confuse him…_ "You're a son of Hephaestus—the best one I've ever met. You killed Gaea!"

Leo's eyes focused a little more as he stared at Jason. The son of Jupiter moved another piece. "Son of who…?"

"Hephaestus, the Greek god of blacksmiths and fire," Jason explained. "You're a demigod."

Leo shook his head. "No…" he moaned. "They said it wasn't real…none of it was!"

"Who said? The doctors? Leo, they don't know squat about what we've gone through! We've faced monsters and giants, ice goddesses and giant turtles, and even drunken nymph followers of Dionysus! Don't believe what these people are pumping into your head. Whatever they tell you is false—everything you knew was real! Try to remember!"

Leo blinked a few times, his form trembling. When he looked at Jason again, his eyes were clearer. "J-Jason?"

Jason nodded.

Leo looked around, his eyes bulging. "What am I…? I let them…" His eyes filled with tears. "They almost convinced me…!"

Jason nodded again. "I know. I'm sorry. I can't believe you've only been here three days and you're already in this state, though!"

"Three days?"

"Yeah."

Leo shook his head. "That can't be right…If I remember correctly, I've been here for months!"

"Months? Leo, it's only been three days since you were arrested!"

"No…my regimen requires two treatments every other day, and therapy sessions on the off days."

"How many have you had?"

"More than three days' worth," Leo confirmed. "I've been here for months, Jason."

Jason was about to ask how when a hand arrived on his shoulder. He looked up and saw an older man gazing down upon him through large glasses.

"My, my, Mr. Valdez," the man said. "Making new friends?"

Leo's gaze went downward. "He…"

"Tell the truth, Leo," the man growled. "Who is this boy to you?"

"He was…my friend," Leo answered submissively. "One of my…d-demigod friends. A son of Jupiter."

The man _tsk, tsk_ ed. "Leo, we were doing so well! I thought you'd pass this test, but I was mistaken."

"T-Test?"

"Of course. Jacob, here, was to test you and see if you would revert back to your old ways of thinking. Had you denied it and ignored him, you would have passed! You would have moved up! But instead, it seems we'll have to continue your treatments."

"No!" Leo yelled, making many patients in the room flinch. "No, please! Let me try again!"

The man shook his head. "I'm sorry, Leo, but you can't pass if you expect it to happen." He looked at one of the nurses. "Take him to his room. I'll see if my female ward compatriot can see what needs adjusting in a moment."

Leo weakly struggled as he was dragged away. Jason could hear his cries for a few moments. Then, all was silent, except the TVs.

The man turned to Jason. "So you're the sudden new patient we've admitted, hm? 'Jacob'?"

"Jason, actually."

"Seems you have a bit of trouble reading. Your nametag says _Jacob_." He smiled. "My name is Doctor Gerald. Welcome to your new home."

"Actually, I don't belong here," Jason tried, suddenly scared out of his mind.

"Don't worry, Jacob." The doctor signaled a nurse over. The nurse pulled out a syringe and stuck it into Jason's neck before he could even react. "They all say that. But, you'll soon realize you _do_ belong here. What did Leo call you? A son of Jupiter? That's a Roman god, isn't it?"

Jason's mind slowed down. His vision went fuzzy, like it did when he took off his glasses. "I…"

He felt someone tugging on is arms, realizing too late that he was being put in a straightjacket. He tried to fight, to summon lightning, but everything around him was wavy and he was way too wobbly.

The doctor patted Jason on the head. "This whole 'believing your father is a god' business is rather unfortunate. We'll have to see why you think that, won't we, _Jacob_?"

Jason groaned as he was led out of the lounge. He heard Gerald call, "Put Jacob in solitary until we set up a room for him, will you?"

* * *

Heels clicked loudly on the floor as the head of the female ward strode down the hall. She had been summoned by Doctor Gerald to help out his troublesome patient, Leo Valdez. Normally, she only handled females, but there were a few cases where she'd be called down. She knew exactly why, too.

She entered Leo's room without hesitating, not worrying about loose objects.

The Latino looked up. "Please," he begged. "I didn't know it was a test! I'll do better!"

The woman smiled, crouching down to meet him at eye level. "Poor little Leo Valdez," she said, her voice smooth. "Are you confused?"

"Y-Yes…?"

"You seem like you are. What are you confused about?"

"Um…well…this other patient said I had only been in here three days?"

"But it's been three months," she finished. "Of course, Leo. It's because time has no meaning inside this place. I could hold you here for centuries, if I wanted to, feeding off of your anguish and madness. And you wouldn't age a day."

Leo's eyes focused more. "What?"

The woman stroked his disheveled curls. "Your little 'fantasy' about gods and goddesses from Greek times being real? You were right. We are real."

"We?"

She smiled. "You're the son of Hephaestus that saved the world. What an honor to have you trapped here. Any other mental institution and you might have actually had a chance at escaping. I'm so glad your social worker brought you here!"

Leo shifted uncomfortably. "It wasn't a test? That wasn't…?" His eyes widened. "Oh, no. Jason!"

"As in Jason Grace, son of Jupiter?" The woman grinned, her smile evil. "Yes, I knew he was here. I sensed him the moment he snuck in. How he did that, I'll never know. But I allowed him to find you. Drawn like a moth to a flame."

"Wh-who are you?"

The woman placed a hand on Leo's forehead. Leo screamed in pain. "I am Lyssa, goddess of madness and frenzy." She sent images into Leo's mind, sending him into a frantic state. He writhed on the ground, panicking as he clutched his head in agony. "I have worked at many asylums in the past, most notably London's Bedlam—now _they_ knew madness! But, times change, and mortals these days are trying to _help_ the madmen. So, I decided to play their game."

She snapped her fingers and Leo went still, panting. "I changed my tactics. By taking in a few crazies here and there, and helping them, I've built a reputation. When big ones come in, ones no one will miss, I cultivate their madness, make them worse. I keep them here perpetually, and feed off of their madness."

"The madness…you…create…" Leo said, nearly hyperventilating.

"I have to live somehow," she said, shrugging. "There are fewer madmen than before, so I have to take what I can get. Eventually, when the world evolves and there is no reason for anyone to go crazy, I'll still have my little farm. I'll have my endless supply, feeding me and keeping me from fading out of existence."

She stroked Leo's head. "It's rare that I get a demigod, and usually it'll only be a young one who doesn't really know what they're talking about. But you…" She smiled. "You're so easily manipulated, Leo Valdez. Your madness is growing, your insanity rising. You couldn't tell what was real or false in your memories a few hours ago, not until Jason Grace rekindled your fighting spirit."

"You can't…keep me here."

"Can't I? That mortal, Doctor Gerald, will follow my advice any day of the week. If I say you are unfit for public interaction, he'll throw you in solitary and have me work with you. Eventually, I'll make your paperwork disappear, and you'll be trapped here until the end of days."

Leo shuddered. "No…!"

"Yes." Lyssa sent another wave of maddening images into Leo's mind. He howled in pain, flailing and kicking his legs. "Aw, poor Mr. Valdez. Sorry to say you won't remember this conversation, or most of your little chat with Jason Grace."

She moved to the door. "The insanity of a demigod is always fulfilling. Thank you for baiting a second one here, Leo. I'll be sure you two spend plenty of time here. Have fun sifting through the lies in your head."

Lyssa closed the door, leaving Leo crying in a corner, his mind all but broken.

* * *

 ** _A/N: And the villain is revealed!  
_**

 ** _Originally, I wasn't going to have a god involved, but then something occurred to me: how would Leo end up so broken if he's only been in there three days? Answer: Lotus Hotel time-freeze thing._**

 ** _Lyssa is a daughter of Nyx. She's the goddess of madness, specifically frenzied states, mad rage, and rabies. It's a different perspective than Dionysus's madness._**

 ** _She doesn't really 'feed' off of madness, mainly because she creates it. However, I took a little creative freedom with this, and I think I made it work._**

 ** _Gerald is human, and unaware of Lyssa's side business. He honestly thinks Leo's imagination is too vivid and is legitimately insane. Such is the narrow mind of a mortal._**


	7. Remember, Please

**_Alright._**

 ** _Usual readers that have followed me since the beginning of time, you've seen me rant on The Keys. You know my attitude towards certain reviews. You guys know the drill of how I work, and how I write. So, to those who understand me, disregard the rant and move on with your life._**

 ** _To everyone else, listen up and try not to get offended:_**

 ** _I would like to say that pointing out "IT'S BEEN (such and such) LONG SINCE YOU UPDATED THIS STORY" is just as bad to me as only saying "UPDATE NOW". Saying these things only makes me NOT want to update, just to be spiteful. I'm serious._**

 ** _I also don't like that you all assume I'm a teenager in school._**

 ** _I am 23 years old. I have a job that can go twelve hours or more a day. This job says that I CANNOT bring my personal computer into work at all (or any electronics). I have stress. I have a life. Fanfiction is the hobby. I don't EVER give up on my stories, just ask Papi V2 or Tartarus Labs, but sometimes I get distracted by other stories (my own or others on FF or Ao3) or by life._**

 ** _There will be times on every story where I will post so quick it will blow your minds, and other times there will be a huge gap. Papi V2 is one of those it takes a while, while OSC isn't (on a normal basis). It depends on the story and my mood, and pushing my buttons definitely makes me slower and less inspired._**

 ** _So don't keep ME updated on how long it's been since I've posted a new chapter. I know how long it's been. I can clearly see the 'Updated' line under the summary._**

 ** _This rant is not pointed to anyone in particular, but I will say that there was a guest who pushed me to type this up. I don't like waking up in the morning to these types of reviews, especially if it's a guest I cannot reply to. If it's an actual account, I'm a LOT more polite in my replies via PMs, and I don't make everyone see me get annoyed._**

 ** _ ** _EDIT: Here's your update. I'm keeping that mini-rant up as a reminder, guys. Don't annoy me with that kind of stuff, please and thank you._**_**

 _ **I own nothing you recognize as canon.**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Six: Remember, Please**_

Calypso shifted in her spot. It was far beyond dawn, more like near noon, and Jason had not given the girls a signal.

Piper was looking extremely anxious. Every time Calypso was about to ask to go get the boys, Piper would mutter, "Just a few more minutes."

The Titan kept gazing at the institute, worried for them. Something didn't feel right. It wasn't just the fact that Leo was hurting in there. It was something else.

She looked at the nurses leading some of the patients outside. They looked happy, sure, but…there was an evil happy to some of them. Like there was a deeper, more sinister purpose behind some of their smiles.

Perhaps it was the fact that she wasn't quite mortal yet—she was still immortal, but it was slipping away slowly—or maybe she was just more intuitive than Piper or Jason, but something felt _wrong_ about this place.

"Piper," she said finally. "We need to get inside."

Piper looked really spooked. "But Jason…"

"He probably needs our help," Calypso argued. "I don't want to leave the boys in there longer than needed. If Jason complains, then we can deal with it after Leo is safely back at camp."

Piper reluctantly nodded. "Fine. How do you want to go about doing this? Apparently Jason's sneaky tactics didn't work. Bust the door down?"

"No." Calypso shook her head. "Perhaps we can be a little more straightforward about it. The nurses…some of them seem to be closer to your age."

"They're probably volunteers from a high school. It _is_ a weekend."

Calypso narrowed her eyes. "What if…?" She looked at Piper and waved her hand. At first nothing happened. Then, when she waved with more feeling, the air began to shimmer."

Piper's eyes widened. "You can manipulate the Mist?"

"All immortals can, to an extent," Calypso explained. "My own immortality may be fading, but I can still change appearances. Combined with your charmspeak, this should go a little smoother than, say, _busting the door down_."

* * *

"I surely hope you can keep this illusion up," Piper whispered as they entered the front doors of the institute.

Calypso huffed. It was tough keeping up the charade, but she could still handle it. "If your friend Hazel can do it without immortality, so can I. Besides, I only need to keep it up so we can get in deeper. Once we're in, I can let it drop."

Thankfully, all Calypso had to do was make it look like she and Piper were a few years older. Piper could definitely keep up the charade with her voice.

"Hello," said the lady at the front desk. "Are you here to visit someone?"

Piper shook her head. "No, but we're actually looking to volunteer here. Or get an internship, if possible."

"Wonderful! If you'd like an internship, I'd need to see a resume, as well as your college credentials for the class you're taking."

Calypso had _no_ idea what those things were, but Piper barreled right into it without flinching. "Actually, we didn't bring those with us. But, you know, we learn better on-the-job. We're good in pressure, and treat others—especially those who aren't well—very kindly. Wouldn't it be better to go ahead and let us in?"

Calypso felt more confident in her abilities now, mostly because the charmspeak wasn't affecting her. It was there, like a slight buzz in the back of her mind, but it wasn't as powerful as it would be on a lower-level god or mortal. That meant she was still rather powerful, and it made her confidence shoot through the roof.

The lady at the desk began to adopt a dreamy look. "Yes, of course. That _would_ be better. If you'll just follow me, I can show you around."

"Actually, we'd just like to know where the uniforms are. We can start right away!"

"Great idea! The uniforms are right this way."

* * *

Ten minutes later found Calypso and Piper in nurse scrubs walking around the first floor. They'd put the nurse back where they'd found her, Piper convincing the woman to casually forget they'd even met.

Piper looked at the signs on the wall, which pointed to various first floor destinations. "Solitary is on the other end of the building," she said. "I bet if Jason got caught, that's where he'd be. And…" she read the signs again. "I don't know where Leo would be…"

Calypso frowned. "I suppose I could try the lounges first, and then move to the rooms if I don't find him."

"Good idea." Piper pointed to a wall clock, which was surrounded by metal bars. "Two hours. That's all we've got before we meet up in the back courtyard. The pegasi are there, so if you're being chased, just whistle or call out to one of them and they'll rescue you and Leo. Jason and I will be right behind you."

Calypso nodded. "Good luck, Piper."

"Same to you."

They split up right there, Piper heading to solitary, Calypso to the nearest lounge.

There were a few nurses that gave Calypso weird looks, since she'd dropped the 'older' image earlier, but she found that if she walked with a purpose and gave no eye contact, she was fine.

The first lounge on that floor hailed nothing but three patients, all of whom weren't Leo. The second was actually closer to the back courtyard, so Calypso's hopes rose. She entered that lounge easily, no one giving the girl in the nurse's uniform a second glance.

There were about twenty people in this lounge. Some were playing a very subdued version of checkers on a few tables, some wandered around aimlessly, some stood in corners, and some surrounded three TV areas.

The first area only had three patients watching some sort of program with animated gem people. The second area was crowded, but no one was conversing at all, which made it look extremely awkward. This one had more nurses crowded around the patients, as if something had gone down recently.

The third area with a TV held only one occupant, and Calypso smiled at her luck.

There he was.

Leo Valdez, reclined in a chair, watching Animal Planet.

Calypso moved slowly, but deliberately, toward Leo. The closer she got, though, the more dread she felt. Leo was bone-thin and pale. His eyes were dead, sunken in so far his face looked like a skull. Dried drool adorned the corners of his mouth, which hung open slightly. His hair wasn't curly anymore. It was matted and tangled, with ends sticking up in different directions, as if he'd been pulling at it. His nervous energy was gone. Even his breathing was different; it was ragged, but had a steady rhythm, as if he were asleep.

Calypso glanced around. No one was paying attention to her or Leo. She bent down and shook Leo's bony knee. "Leo," she whispered. "Leo."

Leo's glazed eyes looked at her for a second, then drifted back to the TV. "I've still got an hour left of TV time…" he weakly moaned.

Calypso shook her head. "No. No, Leo. It's me. Calypso."

"I don't know you all by names…"

Her heart shattered. "What? No, I'm not a nurse. Leo, I'm Calypso. The immortal girl you rescued from Ogygia!"

Leo's brow crinkled slightly. "Oh…gee…gee…ah?"

"Yes. The island no man finds twice. _You_ found it twice! You _died_ to save me! Leo, you have to remember!"

Leo closed his eyes. His hands went up to his hair and began to pull. "No…No! It's not real! They told me it's not real!"

"It _is_ real, Leo," Calypso pushed. "Whatever they told you was the lie. What's in your head are _memories_. They're real!"

"It's a test! Just like last time!"

That confirmed that Jason _had_ reached Leo. Piper was probably headed in the right direction. _But they've convinced Leo it was all a test? No…No, Leo, no!_

"That was a lie, Leo," she tried. "They're destroying you with lies, trying to convince you the truth wasn't real."

"They keep telling me it's not real! It's all in my head! All of it!"

"Even this?"

Calypso grabbed Leo's face with both hands and pulled him into a kiss, just like their first one the night he left Ogygia. The kiss was bland, missing the fire that normally blazed through Leo's body. But a spark was there. It was tiny, but reachable. Calypso used her small power to grab onto that spark.

 _Remember, Leo_ , she urged him in his head, still kissing him. _Remember who you are. What you are. Remember your friends. Remember me. Remember you!_

When they broke away, Leo's eyes focused a little more. They widened in recognition. "C…C-Calypso?"

She smiled. "There you are, Leo." She kissed him again. This time, he kissed back, albeit weakly.

When they next broke, he gasped, "They…they told me it…it wasn't real… _you_ weren't real…b-but…here you are…!"

Calypso smiled and pressed her forehead against his, looking into his slowly-brightening eyes. "I've always been real, Leo."

Leo's eyes filled with tears. He grimaced in pain and clutched his head. "The images…I can't tell…everything's been spinning for so long, I c-can't tell what's real anymore…Am….Am I dreaming?"

"No. You are awake. But you need help— _real_ help. We need to bring you back to camp, where Will and the Apollo campers can help you."

"We…?"

"Piper—you remember her, right? Think. She's one of your best friends. Whose daughter is she?"

"A…Af…Aphrodite?"

"Yes," Calypso praised. "Good, Leo! Piper and I are here to rescue you. Jason came as well, but I believe he got caught trying to help you—that's why these people say it was a test; to make you believe more that it wasn't real."

Leo clutched her shoulders with his hands, with resembled skinny bird claws. "Please…I don't want to question this anymore…"

Calypso helped him into a standing position. All she needed to do was bring him outside. The pegasi could do the rest.

But bringing him outside would probably be pushing her limits. She was still seen as a nurse, but Leo definitely did not resemble any of the patients she'd seen outside earlier. A mistake like that could cost her the mission—and possibly the rest of Leo's sanity.

But she had to try.

"I cannot teleport us to where the pegasi are," she whispered. "So we'll just have to try and get outside."

Leo nodded numbly. "I haven't been outside in months," he whimpered.

Calypso hesitated. "M-Months? You…"

Leo repeated what he had said to Jason, only at this point he could barely remember that earlier conversation. Calypso froze.

 _There's an immortal at work here,_ she thought, frightened. _I don't know which one is hurting Leo, but if I run into them…_

"You'll do what, my dear?"

Calypso turned sharply, still holding Leo's wrist to steady him.

Standing in the doorway to the lounge was a tall woman with a very powerful aura. Calypso recognized her. "Lyssa," she growled.

"Nice to see you again, Calypso. I'm so glad you got out of that prison. What hero did it for you? Odysseus? Drake? Percy Jackson? Oh, that's right…" Her dark eyes found Leo cowering behind Calypso. "It was a little son of Hephaestus that's gone completely insane." She smiled cruelly. "He's been quite the helper. First he brings me a son of Zeus, and now he's lured a _Titan_ to my door! It's not often I get to make an immortal go insane with fever!"

A few nurses stood near Lyssa. Calypso saw their forms shimmer to an almost smoky state, their eyes glowing red and teeth sharper than knives. She recognized them as _mania_ , Lyssa's followers.

Lyssa's smile grew. "Welcome to your new prison, Calypso."

* * *

 ** _A/N: Dun dun dun! So dramatic!_**

 ** _Stay tuned for the next update, which will happen WHEN I SAY IT HAPPENS, not when you request. :) Have a nice day._**


	8. She Rescues Him

**_I apologize severely for the yearlong delay. There's not much to excuse, and I won't try to bore you with the whys. Good news: I'm done with this story! HOWEVER, because I am still deployed (for a tad bit longer than we first thought) I can only give you this chapter while I'm in port for the day. You'll get the rest when I return home, and in quick succession._**

 ** _Calypso in Wonderland is still on hold while I'm deployed, as the guest that keeps trolling the review section has honestly made me NOT want to update that story, even though I really wanna get it done quickly. Tell an author to update because it's their only duty in life? Yeah, that's not gonna go well for the readers, even if the 'order' does make the author giggle and roll their eyes in amusement :(_**

 ** _Honestly I am sorry. As you've probably seen, other stories (fanfiction as well as my own personal novels) have taken my attention. And as I've pointed out, fanfiction is not my life. I do not dedicate my life to it, contrary to what some believe. Though I love my stories, sometimes it gets a bit difficult to update them as quickly as I originally had…_**

 ** _Some never-before-seen fanfictions I've been working on: A Western AU with Leo as a bounty hunter. Still working on the middle plot for it. Eventual Caleo in the story, too; Some Nightcrawler fics, including Excalibur Kurt (Olympics!Nightcrawler AU for two awesome tumblr users) and XMA cinnamon roll Kurt (basic fluffy things about family); Also have a random Teen Titans fic about Beast Boy, though I'm still working out the basics of it. That one will probably never get published, but it's just good to let you know what's going on in my brain._**

 ** _As I've said, I'm working on my own novel as well as the fanfictions. This novel will be the first of a series of at least three books. I can't give specific details, but I will give you this tiny detail: The mythical Icarus is a main character in this series._**

 ** _Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize as canon._**

* * *

 **Chapter Seven: She Rescues Him**

Finding Jason had been easier than going into Solitary.

Piper had walked confidently through the halls and floors, peeking into windows every now and again to make sure she wasn't passing Jason.

One door a few floors up was marked _Dr. Gerald, leading psychiatrist_. Piper found that the door was ajar and slowly pointed her ear towards it as she crouched down.

"Now, Jacob," she heard an old voice say. "I know this must be hard for you. But you need to accept reality."

Piper was about to turn away—the patient was named _Jacob_. She had no interest here—when she heard a weak voice call out:

" _You_ need to accept reality. I'm telling you the truth, and so is Leo! And, seriously, my name is _Jason_ , not _Jacob_!"

Piper's heart soared. Jason was still fighting! And he was right here!

She kicked open the door. An aging man blinked in surprise from behind a desk. A file was under his hands.

Jason turned around in his seat. He was wearing straightjacket, and he looked as if he hadn't eaten in a day. His hair was disheveled, his face pale.

But his eyes brightened instantly at the sight of her. "Piper! You're here!"

The man rose slowly from his chair. "Miss, I don't know where you came from, but—"

"You really don't want to get up," Piper said, laying on the charmspeak thick. "You've talked to this patient enough. Why don't you rest up here while I take him to his room?"

The man blinked, as if realizing he was exhausted. "Yes," he said blearily. "You do that."

Piper kept suggesting calm things to the man as she shrugged Jason out of the straightjacket. Eventually, he dropped off and rested his head on the desk. A snore erupted from him moments later.

"Thanks, Piper," Jason said. "What took you?"

"Traffic. Where's Leo?"

Jason shook his head. "He's in trouble. I don't think he's got much longer."

"Before what?" she asked as they rushed through the halls.

He gave her a haunted look. "Before he isn't Leo anymore."

* * *

Spinning.

That was the word that described what Leo could see 90% of the time.

The nurses were spinning constantly, almost like personified whirlwinds. The female doctor waved her hand and Leo's eyes lost focus. The ground came up to meet him, yet when he collapsed, it still spun. Some of the floor tiles were spinning faster than the others, and Leo thought they were beginning to spin around _him_. No…Yes…Yes they were! They wrapped him up, tied his arms together like he'd been caught in a web.

"Stay still, dear," a venom-filled voice cooed. "Isn't it time for your medicine, little lion cub?"

At the word 'medicine', Leo instinctively went limp. He remembered how it coursed through his veins, cooling the fire his body carried within. Or…had it been there at all? What did it cool, exactly, if not a maddening fever? Was he sick again?

Leo looked nowhere and everywhere at once. The spinning never stopped. The tornado that was his vision kept growing, becoming dark and loud. He screamed at the pain in his head, asking—no, _begging_ for the sudden images of pain and destruction to stop plaguing his mind.

A hand steadied him, anchored him to the ground. That hand was the only thing that wasn't spinning. It was beautiful and solid. Leo wanted to hold it so badly.

"Leo," an angel—for any voice that could clearly penetrate the hurricane of madness in his mind could only belong to such—sang. "Leo, settle. I've got you. Hang on to me."

Leo desperately clutched the hand. Arms wrapped around him and the world slowly stopped spinning. Caramel-colored hair invaded his sight, and a cinnamon scent wafted into his nose. Memory stirred. He could remember a beach, a garden, a cave, and…

"Calypso," he whimpered.

Her beautifully sad smile flooded his vision. She kissed him on the lips and he was suddenly freed from his madness. He could remember where he was again, and found he was never tied by the floor tiles. The relief overwhelmed him.

He sighed and let the comforting blackness overtake him.

* * *

Calypso held Leo closely. His eyes closed and he went limp. Thankfully, he was still breathing. Calypso exhaled and set him down against the crook of the wall. His head lolled against his chest.

The goddess before them laughed. "So, you've still got some power, eh?" she teased. "Too bad it's only healing power and—" she snorted "— _Mist manipulation_. A shame you didn't take after your father more, dear. A disappointment to the end."

Calypso growled low in her throat. "I never wanted to be like him. So don't you _dare_ compare me to him!"

Lyssa clicked her tongue. "Daddy issues, hmm? We'll have to help you work through that."

"I don't need your help."

"They all say that, sweetie." Lyssa motioned and her _mania_ shot forward. Two of them grabbed Calypso and flung her sideways.

Calypso groaned, rubbing her head.

Another _mania_ clutched her by the throat and lifted her into the air. Calypso choked, trying to breathe. She clawed at the monster's hands vainly.

The constant whirling of the _mania_ around her was starting to make Calypso's head spin. She closed her eyes to focus, clinging desperately to the vision of Leo, safe inside Camp Half-Blood, his madness cured.

A burning sensation swelled deep inside her. She would not allow this… _minor goddess_ to take her or Leo! She opened her eyes and, using as much of her old power as she could muster, pushed the _mania_ back. The monster's hands were jerked off of her neck and it screeched as it slid back towards Lyssa.

Lyssa took a step forward. "Perhaps you have more power than I had originally thought."

Calypso felt her powers returning. Whether or not Zeus or any other god had deemed her worthy to have them at the moment, she would not take it for granted.

"You _dare_ underestimate a Titan?" Calypso snarled. Her whole form began to glow.

Lyssa glowed in response, cackling. "You think yourself a Titan? Look at you; you're nothing more than a feeble shadow of one. Even when you were still immortal, no one considered you a Titan." Her eyes glowed red. She grinned. "You were nothing more than a _nymph_."

Calypso screamed and threw her arms up. A surge of power shrieked through the air, ripping down the plaster on the walls. Water fountains exploded. The floor tiles disintegrated underneath her. Her body floated about a foot off the ground.

Calypso recognized this power. Her immortal form was trying to come forth. It was burning away the feeble mortal shell that she had slowly gained once she'd left Ogygia. If she released her true form, she could prove this tiny goddess wrong!

"I am no nymph," Calypso snarled, her voice carrying in three different octaves at once. "I am Calypso, daughter of Atlas. Ruler of Ogygia. And I am far more powerful than the likes of _you_!"

She allowed a bit of her true form free. The light burst from her hands and disintegrated the _mania_ in front of her. Lyssa took a step back, clearly afraid.

Then, Lyssa seemed to regain her composure. She floated upwards, matching Calypso's power with her own. The entire lounge was crumbling. TVs shattered, their remains swirling around the two powerhouses. Couches and chairs crumbled as well, their leather flying through the air.

That was when Calypso realized they were still in the lounge. Patients were yelling in confusion. The non- _mania_ nurses were trying to evacuate them, but the hurricane of plaster, wood, and leather kept them moving in different directions. Calypso heard multiple screams cut off sharply.

 _They're looking at us_ , she realized. _Our true forms…mortals cannot see them without dying!_

She risked a glance at Leo, who was still blissfully unconscious. She couldn't stay this way for long. If Leo woke up, he'd look directly at her…

 _…_ _and I'd end up killing him!_

The thought of becoming Leo's killer—the immortal that made the poor son of Hephaestus die twice, directly and indirectly—only fueled Calypso's anger. Her form glowed brighter, and more mortals turned to ash under her blinding light.

Lyssa chuckled. "You've got power, Calypso. I underestimated you, it's true. But you are still no match for me. Being imprisoned made you soft, and nearly becoming mortal turned you into a weakling."

She shot a blast of energy at Calypso. The Titaness felt the sting on her shoulder, where the energy had hit her, but she did not move. She gritted her teeth and shot her own energy blast forward. Lyssa batted it away.

"All that talk," the goddess sneered. "For what? This weak shell? You hold back what you are, and I can see it. Keep holding it back, and you'll lose it. Go on. I'll take what's left of you."

Calypso could feel Lyssa's power inside her mind. Images popped up. Of her returning to Ogygia in a delirious state. Of her in a straightjacket, sitting inside a white room. Of Leo losing his sense of self forever, becoming nothing more than an insane sack of skin and bones. Of her closely following her love's path.

"No," she growled. "That won't happen."

She summoned the water still flowing out of the exploded fountains. She had gained certain control over water thanks to her time on Ogygia. Maybe she wasn't as powerful as Poseidon or even Percy Jackson…but she could still do this!

The water flowed forward in a wave. It maneuvered around Leo, but sent the other patients and nurses spiraling. They all crashed into Lyssa, who screeched in alarm. She howled as the pile of people sprawled out against her, going limp.

Calypso lifted Leo off the ground. Her 'invisible servants'—nothing more than a telekinetic power, as Leo had confusingly explained long ago—moved him away from the fight and into the hall. Lyssa was still struggling with the unconscious people on top of her to notice the lack of one son of Hephaestus.

Once Leo was out of harm's way, Calypso let it out. She flew higher, nearly touching the ceiling. Her immortal form was close to breaking free, now. Any more power and the outer shell would break; she'd be free from mortality once again.

Lyssa snarled and glowed brighter still. Her power, at such a close distance, dissolved the poor souls on top of her. The mortals perished instantly. Lyssa, instead of keeping to her strategy of staying away and using power to scare her enemy, decided to charge Calypso head-on.

The two immortals clashed against each other, and the entire room shook violently. Any other mortals in the room that had survived the flood and debris were disintegrated. The shattered remains that had been swirling in the room dissolved against the light the two immortals gave off.

Calypso yelled in defiance, punching wildly. Lyssa slapped her and wrapped her hands around Calypso's neck.

The Titaness's vision began to blur. Her power was waning. Her movements became restricted.

Lyssa's voice taunted her, even in the growing haze. "I have to admit; you will be the most interesting patient I'll ever have. Think of it: an insane immortal! I cannot wait to pick apart your sanity. You'll feed me more than any human ever could! Perhaps with your madness, I'll be powerful enough to capture another god?"

Calypso struggled under the goddess's clutches. She was getting weaker. Lyssa's powers came back into her mind, and the maddening images became stronger. Reality was crumbling around her.

"I'll start with your memories of that stupid little son of Hephaestus," Lyssa's voice growled. "Perhaps I should turn him into a fire demon in some of your memories? That way, it'll be harder for you to tell the doctor what's real—and easier for me to manipulate you!"

Leo's form in Calypso's memories shifted. He became an ugly beast, a horrifying monster that no one in their right mind would ever love.

 _No_ , she thought desperately. _I won't lose him, even in my memories. He rescued me from my prison…I came here to do the same to him—I WON'T FAIL HIM!_

Calypso howled, her powers returning full force. She lifted her hand to Lyssa's stomach. "I. Will. Not. FALL!"

An enormous burst of energy shot out of her hand and into Lyssa's abdomen. The goddess shrieked in agony. Calypso sent forth more shots—as many as she could muster—until Lyssa reeled back and got off of her.

"If you dare hurt me," Calypso growled, "or Leo, or _any_ friends of his or mine…I will chain you up and throw you into the pits of Tartarus personally."

Lyssa howled. Her form tried to regenerate, but holes and cracks kept appearing on her skin. Calypso tilted her head in fake curiosity.

"Seems my healing powers have a flip side," she said off-handedly. "I can prevent someone from regenerating just as easily as I can heal them. How's _that_ for a powerless nymph?"

The goddess screeched incoherent phrases, though Calypso was sure she got the message. Then, with a flash of gold, she disappeared, leaving her insanity nest behind for good.

Calypso collapsed in a heap of steaming flesh. Her true form was trying desperately to come forth still, and she didn't know what to do with it now.

Should she continue with the transformation? Become fully immortal again? Would the gods punish her for it?

She thought of poor Leo, still very much mortal. Poor Leo, suffering because of a goddess's wrath.

No.

She couldn't do it.

She allowed the mortal shell to take over again. Her mind fogged over with the human buzz of thoughts. Her 3000 years of memory slowly condensed. Her powers disappeared.

Calypso sighed in relief. _Leo's safe…He's in the hall, safe and sound…I'll just…rest for a minute…_

Her head dropped. She fell asleep instantly.

* * *

 _ **A/N: There. You now have a new chapter for this story :) The finishing chapters shall be posted in about a month. Think you can handle it until then? :)**_


	9. Fragile

_**And here we go! I'm back finally.**_

 _ **No updates to CiW, but be on the lookout for Western!Leo soon (yes, I did roll with your idea Cherokee.) but it's still bare bones and I need just a little bit more to use before I can start posting.**_

 _ **AAAAANNND, a new idea formed: Be on the lookout for a short story with *drumroll* Werewolf!Leo. Nothing too fancy, just a fluffy story that ends in Caleo with Leo as a werewolf. Because I missed Halloween and love werewolves and I needed to write this eventually.**_

 ** _Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize as canon._**

* * *

 **Chapter Eight: Fragile**

 _"Police reports say the start of the explosion was the result of a gas leak. Killing dozens, it had somehow been contained within the confines of a single lounge._

 _"Aside from the explosion, there is an investigation pending. Apparently, many of the patients inside have become malnourished and don't seem to even recall who they had been before admittance. The leading doctor, Dr. Gerald, states he didn't know there were patients even in such a condition. There were statements of a female ward head, but as of this moment, Dr. Lyssa has disappeared._

 _"As of now, the mental institution is closed down for further investigation…"_

* * *

Piper shut off the radio. She, Jason, Leo, and Calypso were currently staying for the night in a hotel room about ten miles away from Dr. Gerald's asylum. They would have been riding through to the next day on their Pegasi, but both Leo and Calypso were both in no condition for overnight flights. As it was, even Jason was having a bit of difficulty staying on board.

So, Piper had used her skills to get them a hotel room. They allowed the Pegasi to fly off until morning, at least.

Leo and Calypso each took a bed, and Piper had pulled out a hideaway bed from the couch for Jason. She'd sacrifice and take the floor.

Calypso looked like she'd been run over by a bus. She had awoken briefly after being found, but had passed out soon after the flight commenced. She'd explained that she had saved Leo from the goddess Lyssa, and would explain further details on the how as soon as she was up to it.

Leo looked dreadful. He hadn't woken up at all since they'd found him, curled up in the hall half-dead. His skeletal frame was drowned in the scrubs he wore. Piper had put him in his bed, horrified at his weight. Leo's body trembled in his sleep. Piper attempted to feed him, but the son of Hephaestus ended up throwing up anything he ate, still very much unconscious. He was far too malnourished and weak. He needed a real doctor…

"The time was all messed up in there," Jason explained when Piper voiced her concern. "Leo was in there for months, even though it was only a few days out here."

"He doesn't deserve this," she muttered. "He's been through so much already…he doesn't deserve such a life…"

Jason hugged her. "No one deserves it," he whispered back.

Piper returned the embrace, sobbing into his shoulder. "Why him? Why him?"

* * *

The next morning found everyone in better spirits, though Leo was astoundingly silent through breakfast. He'd barely recognized them all at first, but with Calypso's prompting, he was able to name Piper and Jason again. Piper tried to get him into a cheery conversation once they'd ordered their food, but he wouldn't contribute with more than basic, monosyllabic answers. Piper gave up after a few minutes, instead placing a comforting hand on his arm.

He didn't flinch away. He looked at her, his brown eyes broken but not dead. Piper swear she could see a smile trying to reach the world again, but the slightest hint of one never went past a twist of a corner.

Jason scarfed down his food with gusto while this exchange went down. He even ate Leo's portion—because poor Leo definitely wasn't feeling up to eating.

"So, after this," Piper said, "we need to get going. The pegasi are getting restless, and we need to get you all to see Will. I IM'd him this morning before you woke up."

"That's the son of Apollo, correct?" Calypso asked. She looked a little pale, but much better than yesterday.

"Yes."

"...Will?" Leo's voice was small, barely audible.

Jason swallowed his eggs quickly to answer, "You know him, Leo. He showed you around Camp when we first arrived, remember? The guy that patched you up every time you banged your head working on the Argo II?"

Leo looked at his lap, his hands unmoving. That was another thing that worried Piper, because Leo's hands were _always_ moving. "It's…fuzzy…" His hands moved _then_ , rushing up to pull at his hair.

Calypso put a supporting hand on his shoulder. "Don't force it, Leo. You'll be able to sort everything out eventually."

Piper and Jason nodded in agreement.

They paid and left as quickly as they could, avoiding the stares as Leo was helped outside. Jason was stronger now, so he decided to ride behind Leo, helping the poor boy up onto the flying horse. Piper sat behind Calypso.

The pegasi tried to fly as smoothly as possible. Leo was definitely not up for the ride, leaning dangerously to either side as they turned or flapped their wings. Jason held him steady as best he could. Calypso was also leaning a little bit as they neared the Camp.

The pegasi had barely touched the ground before the group got swarmed. A sea of campers rushed them. Jason and Piper tried to clear a section of the grass so Leo and Calypso could sit down.

Will and the Apollo campers rushed forward. "Make a path," Will shouted. "Gang way!"

The campers barely moved enough to let them through. Everyone was excited for Leo's return. So excited they couldn't see that he was close to tears. All the attention—all the emotions…It was suddenly too much for him to handle.

Apparently, Will thought the same. He looked at Nico, who had run up with him.

Some sort of boyfriend telepathy occurred between them. Nico silently nodded, then expanded his shadow. A miniature earthquake shook the ground and split a rift between Leo and the campers. Skeletons popped up and stood guard.

Leo was curled up in a tight ball on the ground, his hands pulling his matted hair. Calypso was holding him in a side-hug.

Will got down on one knee. "Leo? Leo, I need you to calm down."

Calypso whispered softly to the son of Hephaestus, and Piper did the same: "It's okay, Leo. Nico got rid of the crowd. And Will's here to help."

Leo took one look at Will, dressed in Camp clothes with his official doctor jacket slung over his shoulders and a stethoscope at the ready, and balked. He curled up into a tighter ball. "No…" he whimpered. "No more…"

"Leo," Piper tried.

"NO DOCTORS," Leo spat. His eyes were wild, bigger than saucers, welling up with tears. "NO MORE DOCTORS!"

Piper suddenly realized that Will would be the worst person to bring to Leo. Any of the Apollo campers would be. Doctors were what did this to Leo in the first place!

"Back up, Will," she warned. "Leo…He's been through some rough times…"

Nico seemed to materialize next to her. "Let me see him."

Nico held Leo by the shoulders. "Leo, look. I'm not a doctor. See? Just Nico."

"Nico," Leo repeated slowly. His eyes were screwed shut. He muttered something Piper didn't catch.

But Nico apparently heard it. He huffed, clearly caught off guard.

"What did he just say?" Calypso asked.

"He just said 'You give me the freakie deakies.'"

Piper laughed, which made Leo raise his head slightly. Piper hugged Leo. "You goofball," she said softly.

Calypso smiled, too. She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Nico rolled his eyes. "Glad you remember me so fondly. Look…Will's technically not a doctor. He's just a…a healer. No technology. No medicine. Just ambrosia and nectar and bedrest. Right, Will?" He gave the son of Apollo a pointed look.

Will looked annoyed, but allowed the restrictions.

Piper nudged Leo's shoulder. "How about we go back to your room in the Hephaestus Cabin, hmm? You can sleep in your own bed again."

"Or even in Bunker Nine," Will suggested. "You slept there more than your cabin."

Leo hesitated a moment, then looked at Calypso. "I wanna go to bed. Sleep."

The girls smiled and helped Leo to his feet. Will stood few feet away, as if he knew Leo would be wary of his presence. The skeletons continued to create a circle around the group, making sure no one passed or bothered the fragile son of Hephaestus.

It was slow going. Leo slowly led the procession towards Cabin Nine. He looked around wide-eyed. Whether that was in disbelief of so many people around him or caring for him, Piper wasn't sure.

The skeletons did their job, and soon the large crowd gave up their endeavors.

Piper opened the cabin door, and Calypso led her boyfriend to his bed—once the bed was kindly lifted up from its lower chamber, that is.

Leo tucked into his blanket so deeply he looked like a burrito. He faced away from the group, and Piper could see the desperate attempts he was making in trying not to cry.

Will bent down and rubbed Leo's shoulder. "Rest up for now, Leo," he said quietly. "I'll give you some…water later. And maybe some nectar. Do you remember nectar?"

Piper placed a hand on Will's hand. "It's just flavored, Leo. Not medicine, we promise."

Leo inhaled and exhaled slowly. Calypso came over and sat at the foot of the bed.

Someone pulled a lever, and Leo's bed began to sink. Calypso yelped, but stayed still as the bed went lower into Leo's personal cabin room.

Piper faced Will. "Be careful, Will. Leo's really sore about doctors right now."

"I noticed. Why is that?"

She explained. Will gave her a horrified look, and Nico looked ready to summon an army of skeletons like the ones currently standing watch outside the cabin. Piper nodded. "Yeah, he's just a tiny bit fragile right now. Any suggestions?"

Will shook his head. "This isn't really my dad's department of healing. I'd suggest Mr. D, but he's gone…"

"Don't smother him," Nico suggested. "But let him know he's got you by his side. Let him remember everything on his own."

When everyone looked at him confusedly, he shrugged. "What? I can't give suggestions?"

"I suppose that's all we _can_ do," Jason said. "What else should we do besides show him we care and try to convince him to get better?"

"For _Leo_ , that's all we can do," Will snapped. "But _you_ , Jason Grace, also need my attention."

He started dragging the son of Jupiter away by the arm. " _You_ are not getting out of this. I see you're coherent enough to speak normally. That means you're coherent enough to willingly receive treatment."

Piper giggled as her boyfriend got dragged out of the cabin. She gave Nico a sidelong glance. "You sure that's all we can do?"

The son of Hades shrugged. "I suppose. We could try appealing to the gods and seeing if we can get Mr. D down here. Or maybe Apollo himself, if he's allowed."

Piper stared at the space where Leo and Calypso had disappeared. She hoped her friend would get better soon…

* * *

 _ **A/N: One chapter left. And then this story is finally done.  
**_

 _ **As an added note and disclaimer: I am not a doctor or psychiatrist, and do not know the first thing about handling mental recovery. Whatever is in the next chapter is fully fictional regarding such a recovery and should not be taken too seriously.**_


	10. Getting Better

**_This is the final chapter, ladies and germs!  
_**

 ** _I know it's a bit fast and blah, but with all that's going on, I feel like this was the only way it could end. I want this guilt/weight off my shoulders._**

 ** _As I said before, I am not a doctor or psychiatrist and as such should not have my remedies for mental illnesses or PTSD taken seriously._**

 ** _Oh, and um, for those of you who haven't read Trials of Apollo book one yet, two things: 1) SHAME ON YOU; 2) Spoilers lurk at the end of this chapter._**

 ** _Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize as canon._**

* * *

 **Chapter Nine: Getting Better**

Leo wasn't scared because there were so many people.

He was scared because he couldn't clearly remember who half of them were, and he didn't want to disappoint them! Every time someone came up to him, he had to search his fractured mind for a hint of a memory. The looks on their faces when he came up short were horrible, and it made him feel like less of a person.

Calypso helped. When she was near, it was like his mind was actually healing itself. Gods were real, he was one of their children, he had fire powers, and he didn't question as much.

But when she inevitably let go of him—to get meals, to sleep, to go to the bathroom—it was like the madness was slowly returning. The fire wasn't inside of him; it consumed him, starting from an outside source. The gods were just made-up stories to fool him. His friends weren't really his friends—they were just those awful nurses screwing with his memories. What was real? What wasn't?

Nico…Nico seemed to help. He had no idea why Nico, of all people, seemed to be the only other _real_ person in his memories. Perhaps it was because of how freaky he was? You can't make up a memory of someone _that_ creepy. You just can't. Maybe he just hadn't mentioned Nico during his sessions with Dr. Gerald and the guy had been spared the 'memory modification'? Leo didn't know for sure, but he was still grateful to have another constant in his memory bank.

Will made him nervous. Medicine. Nectar. Ambrosia. Tests. It felt like a condensed version of his tortures at the asylum. And that inevitably made Leo freak out. He had to have Calypso with him during these sessions, or Nico within sight. He heard Will saying Leo now had a case of Iatrophobia—fear of doctors. Made sense, considering what he'd been through.

Leo knew he wasn't well. By anyone's standards he was sick. Crazy, no matter what anyone said to the contrary.

He had PTSD, and it was soon discovered that it hadn't originated from the asylum memories.

Within a week, Leo started having the Nightmare. Fire burst from him in an explosion, consuming everything in its path. People—friends and family—were reduced to ashes. Wildlife disintegrated. The ground turned black. Leo's skin became transparent, and soon it felt like he was a piece of the fire, like he was made of it. Control was but a memory. He couldn't control the flames any more than he could control the wind that carried them.

He woke up blazing every time. Calypso, who shared a bed with him, tended to have a bucket handy whenever the 'pre-bonfire' signs woke her up. Leo insisted she sleep in a different bed—for her health—but she convinced him that she should stay.

He hadn't burned her yet, and it was now two weeks into the Nightmare phase of his recovery.

Eventually, Calypso had an idea. When she shared it with Leo, he smiled. That might be exactly what he needed!

* * *

"Will," she began one day during one of Leo's follow-up appointments. "I was thinking maybe we're doing this wrong."

"Oh?" Will recorded the numbers on a machine that took Leo's blood pressure and heart rate.

"Hear me out," she defended. "I think Leo and I should take a trip."

The son of Apollo paused in taking the info. "Say that again?"

"Leo's getting slightly better here, it's true," she began slowly. "But it's hard for him to feel… _right_."

"I'm not following."

Leo chimed in here: "I appreciate what you've done, Will, but…I'd really like some down time. Just…me and Calypso. No worrying about who goes where in my memories. No trying to make people see that I'm okay…Just…us."

Will put his clipboard down and looked at Leo with furrowed eyebrows. "I don't think a trip is a good idea for you right this moment, Leo."

"No," Nico interrupted. Leo jumped, forgetting the son of Hades had been sitting in the corner of the infirmary, completely silent as always. "It's exactly what he needs. He's suffering from a lot of things, Will. He needs some alone time. A trip with Calypso—the only stable memory he has—might just be the thing he needs to get back on his feet. No pressure from friends to get well soon, no doctors saying he needs to do something, no medicine or tests."

Will pinched the bridge of his nose. "I honestly wish I was better suited to treat PTSD, because I really don't know if this is right or not. I'd like it better if you got more bedrest first; you're still extremely thin."

Calypso took Leo's hand in hers. He felt a spark come to life in his heart. "Let's just see how a month sounds. We won't go far. If something serious happens, we'll IM Nico for a quick shadow-travel."

"Please?" Leo begged. He _really_ just wanted to get away. He loved his friends—but he was tired of seeing all of their disappointment, their pity, their _sadness_. He wanted to remember on his own and come back kicking. Like nothing had ever happened.

Will sighed, exasperated. Then, he held up two fingers. "Two weeks. You can go wherever you want for two weeks, and Nico will be on-call for emergency travels. At the end of it, I want to see how Leo is doing with everyday tasks and interactions. And he'd _better_ be eating more than one meal a day. If I don't think Leo's doing any better he goes right back to camp life. Deal?"

"Deal," Calypso and Leo agreed together.

* * *

Festus had been fixed up—mostly—by the Hephaestus Cabin during Leo's initial treatments. It was decided that Calypso and Leo would take off quietly. No one would know their leave date until it was too late to stop them.

It was for the best. Leo was far too fragile for teary good-byes and friendship hugs right now. He hoped that his friends would understand why he was doing this, and that they wouldn't kill him when he came back.

He also hoped he'd be able to remember more and make everyone know he was truly getting better. He didn't want to come back with a worse fear of disappointing his friends.

"Don't worry about that," Calypso said when he stated that fear aloud. She helped him scramble onto Festus's back. "I'll quiz you on some things while we're gone—things you told me about while we were on Ogygia. The rest of the time is just you and me exploring this modern world."

"Right."

Calypso stuffed a bag into a chamber in Festus's newly-constructed belly. "First question: Who's your two best friends from Camp Half-Blood?"

"P-Piper and Jason," he answered. That wasn't bad.

"And who are they?"

"Um…"

She paused, reassessing her question. "Tell me what you know about Piper."

"She's, uh, Tristan McLean's kid. He's a famous actor and she hates how everyone thinks he's super hot…?"

"And?"

"And…she's a daughter of Aphrodite?"

"Very good."

Leo remembered how Dr. Gerald would shock him or do something bad to him if Leo had said something like that. How the asylum had forced him to answer the way they wanted. Like he was a bad dog going through obedience school. Punishment for bad actions, and the reward is you don't get punished. Maybe a treat if you are extra good.

Calypso didn't do that. She gently prodded him in the right direction. If he was wrong, she corrected him without pain. She rewarded him with smiles and kisses every time he was right.

He smiled, feeling the image of Piper reform in his mind. His confidence in his answers rose at Calypso's encouragement. "And…And she can pretty much convince anyone to do anything. It's her power: charmspeak. She used it to steal a BMW once."

Calypso laughed. The sound was so pure as it rang through Leo's ears. "I don't know what a BMW is, but it's still funny."

"And she's the toughest daughter of Aphrodite ever. She makes sure no one calls her a weak doll."

"Good for her."

Calypso kissed his cheek from where she sat behind him. "That's enough for now. Why don't we get going?"

Festus snorted in agreement.

"Where to?" Leo asked.

"Wherever the wind takes us."

The couple took off in the dead of the night, leaving no trace that they'd ever been at Camp. They'd had every intention of returning within the allotted two weeks, but…

…random monster attacks, sudden continent-hopping, Albania…

By the time Leo had sent that glitched video scroll, he was feeling tons better. The monsters and the danger solidified his demigod memories a lot better than random quizzes from Will or the campers. He'd spent a large amount just tweaking Festus and getting back into his old groove.

He still had his PTSD. That wasn't going away any time soon. But with Calypso by his side at a moment's notice, he didn't feel quite so scared of his own fire, and his Nightmare visited less and less after another month of traveling.

How they'd ended up back in Europe after a night of flying, neither of them would know. And it took _forever_ to figure out how to get back to the States! But at least during that time, Leo truly got better physically and mentally.

Albania was what really brought his whole personality back. He'd rediscovered what it was like to be a demigod—going on a quest to save his hide as well as Calypso's, fighting off monsters, solving puzzles, and all within a time-crunch! He remembered what it was like to laugh for real, to joke, to annoy. Even though they would never speak of the horrors they'd seen and experienced in Albania, Leo and Calypso both agreed it was exactly what Leo needed to get back to normal.

So, by the time they'd landed back in Camp—six months after the War—Leo was pretty much back to his old self. Sure, he immediately had to sit through getting punched by literally everyone in camp, but it felt way better than disappointing everyone with his broken memory. Yes, he was still suffering from PTSD, but it wasn't as bad as before, and when no one brought it up during the 'punch line' he definitely had a better handle on his thoughts of it.

It was a jolt to realize he now had to go on yet _another_ quest to get Apollo his immortality—and all the oracles—back. But he had Calypso. He would be able to see his friends in Camp Jupiter. Come Hell or high water, he would smile like he used to. He would fight with Apollo—or, _snicker_ , Lester.

Leo smiled as he thought of his situation. A quest with a god-turned-mortal to reclaim all of the lost oracles, with his girlfriend-who-also-used-to-be-immortal, on the back of a sentient metal dragon he'd pretty much rebuilt from scratch.

Good memories. Bad memories. Quests. Monsters. Demigods. Friends that could fly or charm a guy into punching his own face. Three-legged tables that hated Windex. Flying Greek warships.

It wasn't all in his head.

It was just as real as the ground beneath his feet.

And no one would ever be able to take that away from him again.

* * *

 _ **A/N: The. End.  
**_

 _ **Ish.**_

 _ **I left it with the ToA ending, because now Leo is going on this new quest and will probably suffer from some sort of PTSD-like symptoms from his death. Or there might be some pained-bro-bond between him and Apollo now that both of them broke their Stygian Oaths (though Leo only broke his because of his death, which was immediately rectified, I still believe he got some sort of punishment for that between his death and rebirth).**_

 _ **All I know is, I'd like to see where Rick takes poor Leo next, and I wanted this story to kind of connect with it. I DID change up the timelines a bit, as well as their knowledge of his rebirth, but other than that I kept it rather close. Leo's mental stability has nothing to do with Apollo's adventures as Lester in THO, and he and Calypso still end up going with Apollo after losing their way back to camp-let's just ignore everyone meeting Calypso for the first time in the book, ja?**_

 _ **Hope you all enjoyed the story, and thanks for sticking through that year-long delay for updates! With my job getting more and more demanding (deployments, moving, etc) I appreciate all the patience you guys can muster.**_

 _ **Thanks again, all! See you in the next story~!**_

 _ **Oh, and to all the Americans, Happy Thanksgiving.**_


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